Julio Lumbreras

Julio Lumbreras holds a PhD in Air Quality from the Technical University of Madrid (UPM) and a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University (USA). He is a Professor of Industrial Engineering and the Vice Dean of Faculty and Research for the IE School of Science and Technology at IE University.

His career combines academic leadership, internationalization and sustainability research. He has served as Vice-Dean and Academic Dean of the School of Industrial Engineering at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), and later as Vice-Rector for Academic and International Affairs.

His international experience includes several years in the United States, where he was a visiting professor at Harvard University and UPM’s Director for North America. In that role, he spearheaded the development of a strategic network linking UPM with ten leading US universities, among them MIT, Harvard, UC Berkeley and Cornell, fostering long-term collaboration in education and research.

Before joining IE University, he was a full professor at UPM. As a scientist, Professor Lumbreras has participated in more than 90 research projects and is co‑author of over 100 scientific articles and book chapters in leading international journals and collective volumes on sustainability and climate policy. He has also made influential contributions on the role of higher education in advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including co‑authoring the “Guide for Universities, Colleges, and Tertiary and Higher Education Institutions to Accelerate Education for the SDGs in Universities,” translated into multiple languages.

At European level, he was a member of the European Commission’s Mission Board for Climate‑Neutral and Smart Cities. He now leads the implementation of this mission in Spain as director of the Spanish Platform for Climate‑Neutral Cities (citiES 2030) and serves on both the strategic committee and steering committee of NetZeroCities, the EU platform supporting cities in their transition to climate neutrality.

Academic Experience

Vice Dean of Faculty and Research, IE School of Science and Technology, IE University, Spain, 2026-Present
Professor, Industrial Engineering, IE University, Spain, 2026-Present
Full Professor; UPM, Spain, 2024-2026
Tenured Associated Professor; UPM, Spain, 2010-2024
Vice-Rector for Academic Strategy and Internationalization; UPM, 2020-2021
Director for Nort America; UPM, 2017-2020
Visiting Scientist; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, US, 2020-2022
Visiting Scholar; Harvard Kennedy School of Government, US, 2017-2020
Academic Dean; UPM, Spain, 2014-2016
Vice-Dean for Quality and Social Responsibility; UPM, Spain, 2010-2014
Associated Professor (tenure track); UPM, Spain, 2005-2010
Assistant Professor, Universidad Carlos III, Spain, 2004-2005